"I don't know yet. How should I know?" replied Drek with a vexed air. "Now, look here, Mr. Mexton; I'm not going to answer any more questions. You'll put all I say in your paper." "I'll keep out anything you wish, Mr. Inspector," said Paul, who saw the necessity of conciliating the man; "and, as a matter of fact, I am here not so much to get copy as to see Miss Link." "Why do you wish to see Miss Link?" asked the inspector suspiciously. "For the very natural reason that she is in trouble, and that I am her oldest friend. You don't object to my seeing her?" "She'll object herself," replied Drek grimly. "At present she shut herself up in her room and refuses to see anyone." "What about Dr. Lester?" "Oh!"--Drek shrugged his shoulders--"the doctor is in his consulting-room--drinking!" "What does he say about the murder?" "Nothing. I can get no sense out of him; the man's brain is upset." "I don't wonder at it," rejoined Paul drily; "the tragic death of his daughter is quite enough to upset it. Is the--the--body in the house?" "No; it has been taken to the Herne Arms for the inquest." Mexton nodded, and brushed past the inspector on his way to the house. "I'll try and see Miss Link." he said quickly. "Poor girl, she will need some comfort. You have absolutely no clue?" he asked looking back. "Absolutely none," returned Drek disconsolately. "The girl was found dead by Mr. Chaskin about midnight. I say, Mexton----" "Well," said Paul impatiently, his hand on the doorknob. "Tell me what Miss Link tells you." "She may tell me nothing, Drek. However, I'll get all I can out of her, and do my best to aid you to catch the murderer of poor Milly Lester. And you?" "I intend to question the servant," said Drek. "It seems she knows something; at least, she hinted as much to Warner here," and he indicated the policeman with a nod. "H'm!" said Paul slowly. "So Eliza knows something. Drek, you tell me all that you get out of the servant, and I'll reveal the result of my examination of the mistress. Let us work together." "I'm quite agreeable," said Drek, who knew the keen intelligence of Mexton, "but you must not put too much in your paper." "You shall see everything in proof," cried Paul, and with a nod he vanished into the house. There was nobody in the drawing-room or dining-room when Mexton entered; therefore he looked into the doctor's consulting-room, where he found the wretched Lester half-intoxicated, with the brandy bottle before him. Indignant at the man's condition at such a time, Paul walked over to the table, seized the bottle, and threw it out of the window. In sheer amazement Lester stared blankly at him, holding a glass of brandy in his shaking hand. "What--what did you do that for?" he asked thickly.